Copyholder and assembler

ABSTRACT

A device for holding open a book to expose selected pages. The device comprises a rigid flat body, preferably of plastic, having three coplanar prongs extending in the same direction from a common base. The first and second prongs extend from ends of the base, while the intermediate, longer third prong is situated relatively closer to the second prong to form therebetween a narrow slot. To hold open a book, the third prong is inserted beneath several leaves on one side of the spine, the second prong is placed atop the same leaves, and the first prong is positioned over the leaves on the other side of the spine. The resultant arching of the leaves retains the device in place and holds open the book.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Douglas G. Wilkin 3061 Evelyn St., LaCrescenta, Calif. 91014 [2]] Appl. No. 861,532 [22] Filed Aug. 4, 1969[23 Division of Ser. No. 647,969, June 22, 1967,

Pat. No. 3,484,072 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [54] COPYHOLDER ANDASSEMBLER 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 281/42, 1 16/1 19 [51] Int. Cl B42d 9/00 [50] Field ofSearch 281/42; 116/1 19; 24/66 B, 137, 71.3, 259 PL [56] ReferencesCited UNITED STATES PATENTS 467,317 l/1892 Thompson... 281/42 UX1,273,038 7/1918 Crowell 281/42 1,502,274 7/1924 Scott 24/137 1,618,3842/1927 Morris 24/137 3,242,542 3/1966 Tako 24/71.3 3,402,437 9/1968Meletti 24/137 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,348 10/1933 Great Britain 281/42Primary Examiner-Jerome Schnall Attorney-Flam and Flam ABSTRACT: Adevice for holding open a book to expose selected pages. The devicecomprises a rigid flat body, preferably of plastic, having threecoplanar prongs extending in the same direction from a common base. Thefirst and second prongs extend from ends of the base, while theintermediate, longer third prong is situated relatively closer to thesecond prong to form therebetween a narrow slot, To hold open a book,the third prong is inserted beneath several leaves on one side of thespine, the second prong is placed atop the same leaves, and the firstprong is positioned over the leaves on the other side of the spine. Theresultant arching of the leaves retains the device in place and holdsopen the book.

COPYI-IOLDER AND ASSEMBLER CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to stenographic aids, andparticularly to a device for holding a book in open position tofacilitate copying therefrom.

This invention possesses many other advantages and has other objectswhich may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of oneembodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form inthe drawings accompanying and forming a part of the presentspecification, and which drawings are true scale. This form will now bedescribed in detail, illustrating the general principles of theinvention; but it is to be understood that this detailed description isnot to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this inventionis best defined by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of acopyholder supporting a book held open by a holder in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the book holder shown in FIG. 1,the book being illustrated in phantom lines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The copyholder shown in the drawings comprises agenerally rectangular support or plate A made of lightweight moldedplastic material. At the lower end of the support is a ledge or shelf 10forming a rest for a stenographers notebook, a book or sheet material. Acenter leg extends rearward of plate A to provide support for thecopyholder, as described in US. Pat. No. 3,484,072.

When the lower edge is used to support a book (FIG. 2) a clip E may beprovided for holding it open. The clip E is made of relatively rigidflat plastic material having three prongs 40, 42 and 44 extending in thesame direction from a common base with two of the prongs 40 and 42located quite close to each other. The spacing between the prongs may beof the order of one-quarter inch. The adjacent prongs 40 and 42 areinserted on one side of the book shown in FIG. 2, with the end leg of 40uppermost and the intermediate leg 42 inserted behind a certainthickness of leaves. The opposite prong 44 overlies the leaves on theopposite side of the book. The space between the center prong 42 and thedistant prong 44 is adequate to bridge the spine of the book. The centerprong 42 serves as an effective anchor because the intermediate leavesare caused to arch substantially due to the slight clearance between theprongs 40 and 42. This occurs since the clip E is relatively rigid andthe prongs remain in the same plane. The arched leaves due to thewraparound effect, impose forces on the end prongs keeping them inplace.

The device E may be used effectively with virtually any book,independently of thickness, size, shape or rigidity of covers. By virtueof the provision of the device E, no separate spring structure need beprovided for this purpose on the copyholder itself.

I claim:

1. In combination with a book having a spine and a plurality of leavesextending from said spine, means for holding said book open to expose aselected pair of said leaves comprising a rigid flat body having threeprongs in the same plane extending in the same direction from a commonbase, each of said prongs having a pair of parallel edges perpendicularto said common base, a first of said prongs extending from one end ofsaid base, a second of said prongs extending from the other end of saidbase, and a third of said prongs extending from an intermediate point onsaid base between said first and second prongs and being closely spacedfrom' said second prong to form a relatively narrow slot between opposededges thereof, said prongs having a width substantially greater than thewidth of said slot, said third prong being longer than said first andsecond prongs and being received beneath a number of said leaves on oneside of said spine, said number of leaves extending through said slotand beneath said second prong, said first prong being relatively widelyspaced from said third prong a suflicient distance to be positioned overthe leaves on the other side of said spine, the relative widths of saidslot and prongs and the spacing of said first prong from said thirdprong being such that said number of leaves are caused to arch andimpose forces on said first and second prongs to retain them in place,the rigidity of said prongs being such that they remain in said sameplane when subjected to said forces.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the distance betweenthe said opposed edge of said third leg and said opposed edge of saidsecond leg is about one-quarter inch whereby a high wraparound tensionis developed with a small number of book leaves.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said rigid flat bodycomprises transparent plastic material.

1. In combination with a book having a spine and a plurality of leavesextending from said spine, means for holding said book open to expose aselected pair of said leaves comprising a rigid flat body having threeprongs in the same plane extending in the same direction from a commonbase, each of said prongs having a pair of parallel edges perpendicularto said common base, a first of said prongs extending from one end ofsaid base, a second of said prongs extending from the other end of saidbase, and a third of said prongs extending from an intermediate point onsaid base between said first and second prongs and being closely spacedfrom said second prong to form a relatively narrow slot between opposededges thereof, said prongs having a width substantially greater than thewidth of said slot, said third prong being longer than said first andsecond prongs and being received beneath a number of said leaves on oneside of said spine, said number of leaves extending through said slotand beneath said second prong, said first prong being relatively widelyspaced from said third prong a sufficient distance to be positioned overthe leaves on the other side of said spine, the relative widths of saidslot and prongs and the spacing of said first prong from said thirdprong being such that said number of leaves are caused to arch andimpose forces on said first and second prongs to retain them in place,the rigidity of said prongs being such that they remain in said sameplane when subjected to said forces.
 2. The combination as set forth inclaim 1 in which the distance between the said opposed edge of saidthird leg and said opposed edge of said second leg is about one-quarterinch whereby a high wraparound tension is developed with a small numberof book leaves.
 3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which saidrigid flat body comprises transparent plastic material.